Former WWE star Dakota Kai, now performing under her real name Charlie, is embarking on a new chapter in her wrestling career, one focused on prioritizing her health and rediscovering her passion for the sport. In a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, Charlie spoke candidly about her recent release from WWE, her physical challenges and her open-minded approach to future opportunities in wrestling.
Charlie is scheduled to return to the ring on at Pro Wrestling Eve’s Wrestle Queendom, where she will face Kris Statlander. This match marks her first since being released as part of WWE roster cuts on .
The period following her release was, according to Charlie, a necessary one for self-reflection and rebuilding. “I think I just really needed to take a step back and sort of rebuild myself in terms of confidence and what I thought about myself as a wrestler in this world. I didn’t really know if I still had a place in this world,” she shared on Busted Open Radio. This sentiment suggests a period of uncertainty and a need to reassess her career path after a tumultuous run with the sports entertainment giant.
A significant factor in her decision-making process has been her health. Charlie has endured two ACL tears during her time with WWE, injuries that she acknowledges likely played a role in the company’s decision to release her. “I think that definitely had a part to play. Obviously, with the change in management that probably had a big part to play too. It was surprising only because we were just coming off of the Intercontinental tournament. Obviously, plans changed,” she explained. Moving forward, she intends to prioritize both her physical and mental well-being. “Going forward, it’s just making sure that I’m good health-wise more than anything and that’s mental and physical as well.”
Beyond physical recovery, Charlie expressed a desire to reconnect with the joy that initially drew her to professional wrestling. “Finding that love again and wrestling against people that have been on my bucket list and I’ve been watching for years that I haven’t been able to tangle in the ring with. I just want to focus on that and just bring that love back,” she said. This suggests a shift in focus from chasing opportunities within a specific promotion to pursuing matchups that genuinely excite her as a performer.
When asked about her future with other wrestling organizations, Charlie remained noncommittal, expressing openness to opportunities with both TNA and AEW. “I think once I get back into it, both those companies and so many more have people that I would love to face in the ring,” she stated. She emphasized that her immediate priority is getting back in the ring and gauging her options after her match with Statlander. “I just think once I do this match and get back, get the wheels turning again, wherever my path may lead, I’m open to it completely.”
Charlie’s journey with WWE was marked by both success and setbacks. Initially released in April 2022, she was brought back at SummerSlam later that year and found success as part of the Damage CTRL stable alongside Iyo Sky, becoming a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. However, despite this success, she felt she was consistently facing limitations. “It’s one of those things where I was constantly fighting a glass ceiling and even when I was, I thought I was going to break through it,” she reflected, hinting at a frustration with her creative direction within the company.
The wrestling world will be watching closely as Charlie steps back into the ring at Wrestle Queendom. Her return represents not just a new match, but a new beginning – a chance to redefine her career on her own terms, prioritizing her health, her passion, and the pursuit of meaningful competition. Her willingness to explore opportunities with different promotions signals a refreshing level of agency and a commitment to charting her own course in the ever-evolving landscape of professional wrestling.
